Question 25

At the turn of the 20th century, urban planner Ebenezer Howard proposed a radical solution to the overcrowding and pollution plaguing industrial cities. His vision, known as the Garden City movement, sought to combine the economic opportunities of the city with the environmental benefits of the countryside. Howard advocated for the creation of planned, self-contained communities surrounded by 'greenbelts'-rings of agricultural land intended to limit urban sprawl and ensure residents had access to nature. Unlike the chaotic expansion of existing metropolises, these garden cities were meticulously designed with specific zones for industry, housing, and public parks. The concept was not merely aesthetic but deeply social; Howard believed that by harmonizing human habitation with the natural world, society could alleviate the poverty and squalor characteristic of the Victorian era. Although only a few true garden cities, such as Letchworth and Welwyn, were built during his lifetime, the movement profoundly influenced modern town planning, particularly the development of the post-war 'New Towns'. According to the text, what was a primary objective of Ebenezer Howard's Garden City proposal?